Lzh Mg Bu Vb Pc 85Upholstery

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– PĀYATTIKA OFFENSES

– CLEARLY EXPLAINING THE NINTH SECTION OF THE 92 SINGLE EXPIATION RULES.

85. RULE: STUFFING COTTON TO MAKE A MATTRESS.

When the Buddha was dwelling in the city of Sāvatthī, as described in detail above. At that time, on the uposatha days of the month — the eighth, fourteenth, and fifteenth — the townspeople came to visit and pay homage to the Blessed One. A prince of King Pasenadi also came to pay homage.

He then went to the place where Nanda and Upananda were, and said: "May the elders please show me around the various places." The monks said: "Very well," and led the prince up to the upper floor, pointing out: "Prince, look at those pillars, rafters, ridgepoles, beams, and brackets with their fine carvings and exquisite paintings." Then they led him to their own room. He saw that on the floor, which was green in color, there was a fine bed; spread upon the bed was a cotton mattress, at the two ends of the bed were pillows, and over it all was spread a white sheet.

Seeing this, the prince asked:

— Whose furnishings are these?

— They are mine.

— These things are exceedingly fine and splendid; they do not befit a venerable one such as yourself.

— If they do not befit me, then who should use them?

— Kings, princes, and great ministers — it would be fitting for them to use such things.

— Am I not a prince? If the Blessed One had not gone forth, he would have been worthy to be a Wheel-turning Sacred King, a king of the four quarters of the world, and all of you would have been our subjects. But the Blessed One did not wish to be a king; instead he went forth and became a Buddha, the King of the Dhamma-wheel. I am the prince of the King of the Dhamma-wheel. Even if I were furnished with things far more magnificent than these it would still be fitting, much less using such plain and simple objects as these.

Having heard this, the prince was ashamed and said nothing. The monks then brought the matter to report to the Blessed One. The Buddha thereupon had Nanda and Upananda summoned. When they had come, the Buddha questioned them fully concerning all the matters described above:

— Did this actually happen?

— It did indeed happen thus, Blessed One.

— Why have you used cotton to make a mattress, giving rise to criticism among people? Henceforth I do not permit using cotton to make a mattress.

The Buddha then commanded the monks dwelling in Sāvatthī to assemble together, and for the sake of ten benefits he laid down a rule for the monks; even those who have already heard it must hear it again:

"If a monk uses cotton to make a mattress for sitting or lying upon, he must remove and discard the cotton, then confess the pāyattika offense."

Explanation

Cotton: This includes such varieties as agā cotton, bagā cotton, Kuṭajā cotton, horn-pod cotton, grass cotton, Kāsī cotton, flower cotton, and other such kinds. These are called cotton. One must remove all the cotton stuffed within the mattress and then confess the pāyattika offense. When removing the cotton, one must beat and shake it until none remains; if any still remains, one should dampen the hands with water and rub the surface clean, and then confess the pāyattika offense.

Pāyattika: As explained above.

If one makes it oneself and then sits on it throughout an entire day, one incurs one pāyattika offense. If one rises and sits down again, one incurs one pāyattika offense for each occasion of sitting. If one sits upon another's cotton, one incurs a duṭṭhulla offense. If one stuffs cotton into a pillow and uses it to rest one's head or support one's feet, one incurs a duṭṭhulla offense. However, if one uses it to rest one's head or support one's feet on account of illness, there is no offense. If one stuffs cotton into a leather pillow, one incurs two duṭṭhulla offenses — one for the leather and one for the cotton.

If a monk enters a village and the wind blows cotton fibers that cling to his robe, and he gathers up his robe and sits down, he incurs a duṭṭhulla offense; he must shake his robe clean before sitting.

If a cart is transporting cotton, or someone is carrying cotton, and the wind blows the cotton so that it clings to a monk's robe, and the monk gathers it up and sits down, he incurs a duṭṭhulla offense; he must shake off all the cotton before sitting.

If there is ground covered with grass cotton, a monk must not sit there. If a monk passes through a field of horn-pod cotton and cotton becomes attached to his robe, he must not sit; he must shake it all off before sitting. If one spreads out grass cotton or flower cotton and then sits upon it, one incurs a duṭṭhulla offense. If one heaps up a pile of grass cotton or flower cotton and sits upon it, one also incurs a duṭṭhulla offense. If one cultivates a cotton field, one also incurs a duṭṭhulla offense. If, for the sake of a Vinaya master or Dharma master, one prepares a lion's throne and scatters flowers, and flowers remain upon the throne, one must not sit; one must brush away all the flowers and only then sit, in which case there is no offense. Therefore it is said (as above).

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: THE TRIPIṬAKA MASTER BUDDHABHADRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH THE ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

DOCTRINAL VERIFICATION: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH